


Embrasse Moi (Kiss Me)

by AkaiTsume



Category: Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Cuddling, Daryl Has Issues, First Kiss, First Time, Getting Together, Humor, Internalized Homophobia, M/M, One-Shot, Spooning, man-feels, these boys need some sleep
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-26
Updated: 2014-04-26
Packaged: 2018-01-20 21:57:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,359
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1527149
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AkaiTsume/pseuds/AkaiTsume
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Look, all Rick was saying was that the bed was huge, and there was no reason for Daryl to sleep on the floor. Simple, right?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Embrasse Moi (Kiss Me)

The bed jolted as Daryl left it, waking Rick with a start. Lips twisting, Rick remained still as Daryl quietly padded away. His hand, which had hit the bed with some force once Daryl slipped out from under it, slowly clenched the sheets. As the bedroom door quietly shut, he grit his teeth in annoyance. Lately, any night that didn’t involve at least one of the two of them taking a shift on watch, Daryl ended up getting up in the middle of the night. Sometimes he came back to bed, at which point Rick would pretend to still be asleep, but other times he wouldn’t, and god only knew what Daryl got up to. Every day after he did this, Daryl looked angry and worn, snapping at everyone except Rick.

Everyone was concerned. The whole group knew that Rick could only sleep with Daryl next to him, which was a bizarre twist of fate, but if sleeping next to him was causing issues for Daryl…

Rick stifled a sigh.

They had to work something out.

Frowning, Rick settled in to wait for any sounds that would indicate Daryl’s return. At the beginning, it hadn’t been this bad. He still remembered the first night that he and Daryl had decided to bunk together—or more accurately, coerced each other into sleeping in the same bed.

* * *

 

Rick’s bag hit the tiled floor with a dull thud as he glanced wearily around the kitchen. The cabinets were all open, detritus from previous scavengers littering the shelves. Bangs and shuffles echoed through the house as the others brought their gear in, murmuring in quiet voices. Rick scratched at his beard and sighed.

Thank god they’d found a roof to sleep under for a few nights. As tough as everyone had become, nobody had problems sleeping in rough conditions, but they’d gone too long without some protection from the elements. Ropes and string with noisemakers tied to them didn’t lend themselves to a good night’s sleep, either.

Fuck, Rick couldn’t even remember the last time he’d actually slept more than two hours in one go. Even if the pitying looks from the others hadn’t been enough, the fact that Judith had taken to scrunching up her face to mimic her father’s when she saw him pretty much convinced Rick that he looked like eight miles of bad road.

A bad road in hell. Paved with crazy.

Rick sighed again and closed his eyes, rubbing at the bridge of his nose. At least he hadn’t gotten so bad that Judith just flat-out cried whenever she saw him. Yet.

Quiet footsteps behind him made him lift his head from his hand. Daryl set his own bag down, eyes searching Rick’s.

“You alright?” Daryl eventually asked, his voice quiet. He looked beyond tired, too, dark shadows smeared beneath his eyes. Rick managed to give him a small smile and gestured vaguely.

“I’ve got walls, don’t I?” Rick chuckled weakly when Daryl’s lips quirked upwards. “Then I’m alright.”

Daryl gave him a short nod, then glanced away and shifted his weight. “The others are getting settled for the night. There’s a bed upstairs with your name on it.”

Rick snorted. “That a fact?”

“Yup.” Daryl reached out and clapped him on the shoulder. “Fuckin’ engraved on the headboard. You should go check it out.”

Rick’s smile became a bit more genuine. _Daryl’s gotta be as tired as I am, been through as much shit as I have, and he’s still capable of cracking jokes._ A muffled gurgle from Judith in another room wiped the smile from his face, and he rubbed his eyes again.

**Can’t sleep can’t sleep have to protect is everyone safe can’t sleep**

“You know what?” Rick spoke more loudly than he anticipated. Grimacing, he lowered his voice. “You go ahead and take it, Daryl. I’ll check up on everyone first and take first watch.”

Daryl eyed him, the corner of his mouth pulling down. After a moment, the archer shrugged.

“Can’t take it. It’s your bed.”

Rick sighed. “Daryl.”

“It’s _your bed_.” Daryl broke eye contact, glancing at the window over the sink. Outside, a night wind howled, rattling the branches of the dead tree pressed up against the side of the house. He rolled his shoulders. “Unanimous decision. Seeing as your name is on it and all.”

When Rick just gave him an unimpressed look, Daryl glowered at him. Rick shook his head.

“Daryl, I have to—”

“There’s nothing you have to do that nobody else can do for you,” Daryl broke in. Surprised at the interruption, Rick’s mouth snapped shut. “The house is clear, and everybody but you slept last night. Tyreese is taking first watch. Maggie’s taking second, Glenn’s taking third, and Michonne’s got fourth. Carl’s got Judith.” The archer stepped closer, staring intently into Rick’s eyes. “All you have to do is _go to sleep._ ”

For an instant, black anger churned in Rick’s stomach. When did everyone decide to hold watch without him? Since when did Daryl start confronting him on shit like this? He couldn’t just go to sleep, and they should _know_ that. He had to—

**—n’t sleep can’t have to protect why can’t I protect them not taking anyone else away from me and FUCK DARYL if he thinks—**

Rick shook his head hard and sagged back against the counter. He closed his eyes, rubbing at his temple. All at once, the anger drained from him, leaving a faint sense of shame behind. _The fuck is wrong with me? He’s trying to help, goddammit. And if he’s getting in my face about it…_ Taking a deep breath, he lifted his head and met Daryl’s concerned gaze. Rick’s lips twitched.

“…I look that bad, huh?”

“Like fucking roadkill,” came the immediate reply. When Rick snorted, Daryl reached out and gently gripped Rick’s arm. “C’mon, man.”

Lowering his eyes, Rick allowed himself to be towed out of the kitchen. He saw the others settling down in the living room, relief plain on their faces when they saw him pass. Michonne nodded at him from where she’d stationed herself by the back door. Resigned, Rick nodded back. As he climbed the stairs, he glanced at Daryl.

“Are Glenn and Maggie going to get any sleep tonight if they’re on separate shifts?” he murmured. Daryl snorted and leaned in.

“Better that than the absolute zero attention they’d give to actually watching out if they shared a shift,” he mumbled in reply.

Naturally, Glenn chose that moment to poke his head out from the bedroom he and Maggie had chosen. He smirked at the two older men.

“I heard that. Don’t hate our love, guys. It _cannot be stopped_.”

“It can be stopped for two hours, you jackasses,” Daryl shot back.

Before Glenn could reply, Maggie stepped out into the hallway, put her hands on Glenn’s chest, and shoved him back into the room. She spared a fleeting glance for their group’s leaders.

“Glenn, they know we’ll do our jobs. Rick? Daryl? Shut the hell up, and _good night_.” Smirking, she stepped into the room and shut the door on Glenn’s muffled, “Listen to the lady!”

Rick and Daryl shared a look, lips curling upwards.

“Guess I’ll just have to not worry, then,” Rick stated idly as he climbed the last few stairs. He glanced around, noting the second bedroom door. “Who’s going to sleep in there?”

Daryl came up beside him. “Carl and Judith got that one. You’re in the master.”

Rick turned to frown at him, but Daryl had already gripped his arm again and started tugging. He followed the archer into what was a surprisingly large bedroom for such a small house. He stopped dead, goggling at the massive bed that was effectively swallowing the room.

“I’m not sleeping in that,” he protested automatically. When Daryl glared at him, Rick raised his hands. “Daryl, the bed is huge. There’s no way that I need that much space.” Daryl continued glaring. “Get somebody to share it. I don’t need this much bed.”

Before he could even attempt to walk away, Daryl came up to him, grabbed his shoulders, spun him towards the bed, and started marching him closer to it.

“Daryl.” No response. “ _Daryl_.”

The other man turned Rick around and pressed on his shoulders until Rick’s knees folded. His butt hit the soft comforter of the bed. Indignant, Rick glared at the archer as Daryl backed up, folded his arms over his chest, and nodded decisively. When he turned to leave, however, a light bulb went off in Rick’s brain, and his arm shot out to grip the back of Daryl’s vest.

“Daryl, wait.” Daryl shot a look at him over his shoulder, but Rick pressed on. “You haven’t slept in forever either. Why don’t we share?”

Daryl froze, his face going blank. He stared at Rick for a prolonged moment. Eventually, his Adam’s apple bobbed.

“…What?”

Rick gestured at the bed with his free hand. “You heard me. Look at this thing. If I’m sleeping in it, I’m not sleeping alone.”

Daryl shook his head and raised his arms defensively, backing up. Rick’s grip stopped him after a single step. “I don’t share. It’s yours.”

“Daryl. Come on. It’s a king. I won’t even touch you.” Releasing Daryl’s vest, Rick folded his own arms over his chest and gave the other man his most impassive look. “Where were you going to sleep, the floor? Forget it. You’re sleeping with me.”

Daryl stared at him some more. Eventually, he blinked and shook his head, raising a hand to rub at the back of his neck as he looked away.

“I don’t…”

Despite Daryl’s clear discomfort, Rick pushed his advantage. “You said my name was on the headboard. I don’t see it, but I’ll take your word for it. That means it’s my bed, my rules, and if I gotta sleep, you’re getting some, too. That’s final.”

He thought his weak attempt at a joke would bring at least a small smile to Daryl’s face, but the archer’s eyebrows furrowed and his eyes wouldn’t meet Rick’s. After a long moment, Daryl’s shoulders slumped.

“Yeah, alright. I’ll just…” Daryl ran a hand through his hair, shook his head again, and moved to the door. He closed it quietly, standing with his back to the room. Rick watched him, frowning. Was there a problem he didn’t know about? He opened his mouth to ask, but before he could get a word out, Daryl sighed and turned to face him, marching briskly over to the bed and stripping out of his vest on the way. Rick watched him curiously, shrugging off his jacket as he did.

“Daryl? Is something up?” he asked tentatively. Daryl shook his head, mouth twisting.

“It’s fine. It’s nothing. Just…go to sleep.”

Glowering, Rick leaned over to tug at his boots. “I heard you the first eleven times,” he grumbled. Daryl snorted behind him, but he otherwise remained silent. The two men quietly slipped under the covers, still mostly dressed to fend off the night’s chill. Daryl, still not quite looking at Rick, pulled the covers up over his shoulders.

“Just don’t die in the middle of the night and start gnawing on me,” the archer muttered.

Rick snorted. “If it looks like I’m going to, you have my permission to handcuff me to the bed.”

Silence. In response, Daryl simply rolled so that his back was to Rick. The other man shook his head and settled down.

 _Not like I ever claimed to be a comedian_ , he mused idly. Heaving a sigh, Rick closed his eyes and tried to will himself to sleep. As the minutes passed, though, his thoughts grew darker.

**Can’t save them all. Can’t stop this from happening. They’re all going to die, they’re going to be taken from me one at a time until there’s nothing left of me but PIECES and I will destroy ANYONE who touches what’s mine**

Rick’s breathing quickened, huffing powerfully through his nose. His hands started trembling beneath the covers.

**Carl Judith Lori COULDN’T SAVE LORI COULDN’T SAVE HERSHEL should’ve killed the Governor when I had the chance whatswrongwithme I almost lost them all I should have lost them all how did Daryl find me don’t deserve him can’t lose him again CAN’T LOSE HIM whatswrongwithmeGod**

Panicked, Rick moved to throw the covers off himself and flee from the room, but an arm shot out of the darkness and landed on his back, stilling him instantly. Rick breathed heavily, nostrils flaring, but he didn’t move out from under Daryl’s warm hand, and Daryl’s hand didn’t move. Gradually, his heart rate and breathing calmed, and Rick slowly settled back down. Daryl’s hand stayed on him the entire time, solid and reassuring. After several minutes, Rick rolled his head to the right and found himself staring into his best friend’s eyes. Daryl said nothing, apparently content to just stare back at Rick.

As the minutes passed, Rick found his eyelids growing heavy. He fumbled beneath the covers for Daryl’s hand, which was now pressed against his side, and he clumsily clasped it in his own. Exhaling, Rick closed his eyes and squeezed Daryl’s hand.

The last thing he felt was Daryl squeezing back as Rick’s mind tumbled into blessedly silent darkness.

*             *             *

Rick woke abruptly, grunting with surprise as he reflexively tried to determine what caused it. He glanced blearily around the room, but he saw nothing amiss in the shadows. Sighing, he dropped his head back down and buried his face in soft, warm hair.

…Wait.

Rick stilled as he suddenly took stock of the situation. His arms were wrapped tightly around Daryl’s waist, his legs were tangled up in the archer’s, and he’d basically smeared himself along the other man’s back. Daryl, who was clearly not asleep, was tense as a rock beneath Rick’s grip.

_Jesus fucking Christ._

After a moment, Rick tentatively cleared his throat.

“So…how long have I been doing this?”

Daryl was silent for a long, interminable moment. “A while.”

“…Ah.” He lay there quietly, thinking. “You haven’t punched me yet.”

“My arms are pinned.”

“Right.” Neither man moved. “I’m actually…pretty comfortable right now.”

Once again, Daryl paused before responding. “‘S not the worst thing in the world,” he mumbled hesitantly.

Rick found himself relaxing, his grip on his best friend becoming a little less of a strangle-hold. He gingerly rested his chin on Daryl’s shoulder. Daryl instinctively tensed once again, but Rick waited until the other man’s muscles gradually unwound. Closing his eyes, Rick let Daryl’s warmth seep into him, carrying the fuzziness of sleep with it.

Burying his face in Daryl’s hair once more, Rick murmured, “Good night.”

Daryl didn’t respond.

* * *

 

That night was the best night’s sleep Rick had had in ages. No nightmares, no dark thoughts keeping him awake, just warmth and Daryl. The other man had clearly slept just as well, rising with an uncharacteristically chipper demeanor. The others immediately noticed Rick and Daryl’s improved moods, and after a few days of soured dispositions when they’d tried to sleep alone, the two men found themselves practically shoved headfirst into the same bedroom whenever the group stopped for the night. Every night they slept together, Rick would end up migrating across the bed and wrapping himself around Daryl like a deranged octopus in his sleep. Daryl never complained about this treatment, though he’d taken to wearing a resigned expression when they headed to bed. Neither of them had ever slept so well.

Until things changed.

At some point, Daryl stopped looking quite so rested in the mornings. He’d wake up grumpy and irritable, muttering foul things under his breath as he got dressed. When Rick asked if he was all right, Daryl would stiffly roll his shoulders and insist that he was fine. Eventually, Daryl was back to snapping at the others in the morning.

* * *

 

Rick yawned as he stepped out of the bedroom, scratching at his hair. Daryl followed behind him, glowering like the world had set itself on fire just to piss him off. Maggie, who was coming up the stairs to catch a quick nap after her shift, grinned at the sight of them.

“Hey look, Mom and Dad are up!”

Rick smiled, and he opened his mouth to question her as to who exactly was the mom and who was the dad, but Daryl beat him to the punch.

“That’s _not fucking funny_ , Maggie,” he barked sharply. Rick’s mouth clicked shut.

When Rick and Maggie turned to stare at him in surprise, Daryl scowled and shoved past them. As he clomped down the stairs, Rick glanced at Maggie with his eyebrows raised. She shrugged helplessly.

“It was just a joke…”

Rick frowned and leaned over the banister, trying to catch a glimpse of his best friend.

“Yeah…”

* * *

 

Shortly thereafter, weeks into their new sleeping arrangements, Daryl started disappearing in the middle of the night whenever they actually got a chance at uninterrupted sleep. Every single time, he woke Rick by peeling himself out of Rick’s arms and slipping out of bed, even though Daryl was clearly trying to keep from waking his bedmate. On the nights when Daryl didn’t return, Rick had trouble falling back asleep, dark thoughts pounding inside the walls of his head. Both of them were starting to look run down again, and the group was giving them both concerned looks during the day.

Rick heard a floorboard creak, and his jaw firmed with determination. Enough was enough. He rose clumsily onto his elbows, shifted backwards until his back was against the headboard, and folded his arms over his chest. The bedroom door opened quietly, casting shadows in the moonlit room. Daryl stepped in, a disgruntled look on his downturned face, and shut the door carefully. With a roll of his shoulders, Daryl turned back to the bed. At the sight of Rick, the archer froze. Rick narrowed his eyes at him.

“Coming back to bed?” he questioned in a low voice. Daryl stared at him, silent. Rick sighed. “Seriously, Daryl. Get over here.”

The archer hesitated before slowly making his way back over to the bed. He stood beside it, frowning down at Rick with furrowed eyebrows. Rick studied his face in the moonlight. To the untrained eye, Daryl didn’t seem any more put out than usual, his expression stoic as always. After their years of cohabiting, however, Rick could pick out the haunted, hunted look in Daryl’s eyes, the weariness in the droop of his shoulders. Concerned, Rick reached out towards the other man, but Daryl awkwardly shifted out of reach. Stung, Rick slowly let his hand fall.

“Daryl, are you alright?” he asked quietly. The man in question lowered his eyes, nodding shortly. Rick frowned. “You’ve been getting up almost every night. Mind telling me where you’ve been?”

That made Daryl look up, a disgruntled scowl on his face. “Where do you think I’ve been? I don’t even have shoes on.” At Rick’s expectant silence, he rolled his eyes. “I was taking a leak. That a crime?”

Rick’s eyebrows rose. “Every night? In the middle of the night?”

Daryl shifted his weight. “Not like I got a choice.” He rubbed at the back of his neck and lowered his voice. “Didn’t mean to wake you up, though.”

Rick shrugged. “It’s fine. I’m more worried about _you_. It’s obvious that you haven’t been sleeping well.” He hesitated. “Is this…am I bothering you?”

Daryl’s shoulders tensed. “What d’you mean?”

“The whole octopus thing. I understand if it’s…too much.” _Except that you keep the darkness away, in a way that nobody else ever has._ “Is that the issue?”

Daryl closed his eyes like he was in pain. After a moment, he shook his head. “That’s not it. I’m just…I told you at the beginning that I’m not good at sharing.”

“But you were resting before,” Rick insisted. “This was working for you, too.”

Once again, Daryl wouldn’t meet his gaze. “It was.”

“So what changed?” When Daryl didn’t respond, Rick ran a frustrated hand through his hair. “Daryl, at this rate, it’s only a matter of time before the two of us are shuffling around like two tall glasses of Walker Lite. _Again_ , in my case. If we’re gonna fix this thing, I need to know what you need me to do. Do you need me to just get up and leave at some point so you can sleep?”

“No,” Daryl burst out. He swallowed visibly. “Shit, you know you get nothing if I’m not here. I can deal.”

“But you shouldn’t _have_ to, Daryl. I don’t need you to sacrifice yourself on my behalf.” A shadow crossed over Rick’s eyes as his mind flashed back to a gun at his head with Daryl’s devastated expression before him. Rick shook his head, chasing the image away before those black thoughts could start again. He refocused on the man in front of him. “What do you need me to do? Set up a wall of pillows or blankets or something so I can’t smother you?”

Daryl’s lips twitched at Rick’s weak joke. The archer sighed and sat gingerly on the edge of the bed.

“I said that wasn’t it. It doesn’t…” Daryl trailed off, glaring into a shadowed corner of the room.

Cautiously, Rick reached out and placed his hand on the other man’s shoulder. Daryl tensed, but he didn’t shrug the hand off. Rick chose to take that as a good sign.

“Just tell me what you need, Daryl,” he pleaded softly. Daryl stared at him, eyes shuttered. After a few moments, Daryl sighed and shook his head.

“It’s fine, Rick. I told you, I’ll deal with it.” He slid down, pulling the covers over him. He rolled stiffly onto the side facing away from Rick. “If you’re comfortable, then we’re good.”

Rick eyed Daryl’s back. The man looked incredibly uncomfortable, tension practically wafting off him in waves. _Maybe being spooned by another man every night is a bit too much for any guy to handle_ , Rick mused wryly. _Just because **I** enjoy it…_

Unexpectedly, Rick smiled. He slid down under the covers, but instead of wrapping himself around his friend, he grabbed Daryl’s shoulder and forced him to roll over. Ignoring the other man’s grunt of surprise, Rick rolled onto his left side, scooted back into Daryl’s personal space, and reached back to clutch at Daryl’s right arm. He tugged it over his own waist, dragging Daryl until the other man was pressed against his back. A startled silence filled the room.

“Uh…” Daryl cleared his throat. “Rick? What the hell?”

Rick chuckled weakly. “Thought you might appreciate being the big spoon for once,” he replied dryly. After a pause, he continued, “I know this whole situation is…a burden on you. I just thought maybe this way, it wouldn’t be…as bad.”

Daryl fell quiet, but his discomfort was being loudly broadcasted by every muscle in his body. Daryl shifted awkwardly.

“Rick, this is probably a million times worse,” he muttered under his breath. The warm air gusting over Rick’s ear made him shiver, but it, like the feel of Daryl pressed all along his back, wasn’t in any way unpleasant. Rick shifted further back into Daryl’s forced embrace.

“I dunno, it works for me.” He exhaled heavily, relishing the warmth that radiated off the other man. He could already feel himself relaxing. “Feels nice.”

An ominous silence followed his proclamation. Daryl’s arm tightened around him.

“Nice.” His voice was thick with disbelief. Rick nodded shortly. “You actually…”

“Surprisingly, I do,” Rick answered Daryl’s unfinished question. It wasn’t a lie. Daryl’s arms felt surprisingly good around him, solid and reassuring. Rick shrugged. “If you don’t mind, I’m good.”

“If I don’t mind,” Daryl repeated dryly. The archer sighed, buried his face in Rick’s shoulder for a moment, and then began to pull away. “Rick, this really isn’t—”

“Wait,” Rick insisted, clutching at Daryl’s arm. “Please, just give it a chance.”

“Rick.” Daryl tried to pull away again, and he flinched when Rick responded by pressing more firmly against him. “Rick, _don’t_ —”

Both men froze as Rick’s ass came flush against Daryl’s hips. Rick blinked.

Daryl was hard. Why the hell was Daryl hard?

The archer made a pained noise and tried once more to pull away. Reflexively, Rick clamped his hand down on Daryl’s forearm, forcing him to stay still. Rick’s mind raced.

When they’d first started sharing a bed, Daryl had seemed discomfited, but he’s been okay with it. They’d both slept like pre-apocalypse babies. As time had gone by, Daryl had seemed more and more uncomfortable, to the point where eventually, he’d get up in the middle of the night to—

“Oh,” he exhaled quietly. His mind was reeling. “You could’ve told me.”

“Told you _what_.” Daryl’s low voice took on a hint of bitterness. “I’m not…”

“No? Were you thinking of somebody else just now?” Rick replied tactlessly. His mind was throwing up instance after instance of Daryl meeting attractive young women, and he’d never made a pass at any of them. Not one. Granted, he hadn’t exactly hit on any men, either, but with a bigot like Merle for a brother…

“I wasn’t—” Daryl hissed harshly. “It’s not. I’m not a…”

“Didn’t say you were.” He could practically _hear_ how miserable Daryl was. Had he been hiding this the whole time? Or had he come to realize it once they’d started sharing a bed? “It’s ok, you know.”

“Yeah, sure,” the archer replied sarcastically. “I’m sure you’re thrilled at having… _that_ pressed up against your ass. Must make your fucking night.”

“‘S not the worst thing in the world,” Rick shot back, echoing Daryl’s comment from their first night together. He shifted slightly, gauging the feel of Daryl’s erection against him. He ignored the other man’s hiss of discomfort. _It really isn’t that bad. Weird. But not bad._ “So it is me, then.”

Daryl fell quiet for a minute before he guiltily replied, “I didn’t want… I don’t know how this happened. I fuckin’ swear, I’m not…”

Rick hummed in reply. He finally released Daryl’s arm, only to catch the other man’s hand before he could retreat. He rolled onto his back and turned his head to the side, catching and holding Daryl’s ashamed gaze.

He’d always known that Daryl was attractive. Granted, he was distinctly _more_ attractive when he wasn’t chucking squirrels at Rick and liable to cut his head off, but…he’d noticed. As time had gone by and Daryl’s edges had worn down a bit, Rick had found himself wondering how long it would be before someone snapped and snatched him up. Someone besides Rick had to have noticed what a good man Daryl was, right? But Daryl didn’t seem to want any of them.

Hell, did he even want Rick? Attraction wasn’t everything.

He reached out slowly, trying not to spook the archer, and gently ran his fingers through Daryl’s hair. The other man flinched, but he didn’t move away. Rick watched him for a long moment.

“You want this?” he asked quietly. Daryl’s face twisted.

“I told you, I’m not a… I’m not one of _them_.”

“And I never said you are. That’s not what I asked.” He gripped Daryl’s head and lowered his own chin, staring intently into his eyes. “Do you want this?”

That hunted look was back in Daryl’s eyes, but this time, he didn’t drop his gaze. After several minutes of heavy silence, Daryl finally gave one short, humiliated nod. Before Rick could respond, Daryl spoke in a low, rushed voice.

“But I swear, I’m not gonna. I’m not gonna touch you, or…fuck. I’m not going to do _anything_ , I fucking swear to god, I’m not. This don’t… This doesn’t mean anything. You’re my brother, like you said, and that meant…everything, and I’m not going to fuck this up, I’m not—”

“Daryl.” That one word cut off his semi-panicked rambling. Rick closed his eyes briefly. The sheriff’s deputy wasn’t gay, and he’d never been interested in another man. But. This was _Daryl_. Daryl, who always had his back. Who believed in him. Who kept the monsters, both physical and mental, at bay. Who kept Rick’s head on straight.

Daryl, who never seemed embarrassed unless someone was giving him the respect he deserved.

Daryl, who for some reason refused to acknowledge his own self-worth.

The man who would destroy him if he ever went away again.

Rick took a deep breath and opened his eyes. Though his face was impassive, Daryl’s eyes were filled with shame, confusion, and fear. Rick cleared his throat, and when he spoke, he was amazed at how easily the words came out.

“You know that I love you, right?”

For an instant, Daryl looked like he was having a heart attack. He shook his head, swallowing audibly. The archer opened and shut his mouth several times, but no words came out. Despite himself, Rick smiled.

_Who the hell else would it have been, if not Daryl?_

With that in mind, he tugged gently on Daryl’s head. Daryl’s mouth slammed shut, still having said nothing, and his eyes widened. Rick hesitated briefly, gaze flickering between Daryl’s stunned eyes, and then he slowly closed the distance between them.

Daryl’s lips, though pressed tightly together through shock, were surprisingly soft. Rick exhaled quietly through his nose and let his eyes slip shut, leaning into the chaste kiss. He moved his lips over Daryl’s, encouraging him to relax, and slid his fingers deeper into the other man’s hair. After a long, pregnant moment, Daryl let out a tiny groan and began responding to the kiss, his mouth clumsily catching Rick’s lips between his. Daryl’s right hand slid over Rick’s ribs and skimmed down his back, pulling the other man closer to him. Rick hummed appreciatively. He lost himself in the kiss, in the catch and flow of skin against skin, in warmth and softness.

Daryl abruptly rolled forward, tipping Rick onto his back. Rick’s eyebrows rose, but he didn’t break the kiss, choosing instead to settle his hands on Daryl’s shoulders. The kiss intensified, tongues slipping out to tangle with each other. To Rick’s pleasant surprise, he felt a familiar tightening in his stomach that began to push downwards. Unable to help himself, he grinned.

Unfortunately, introducing his teeth to the situation ended up breaking off the kiss by default. Groaning, Daryl shifted and planted his face in Rick’s shoulder. He shook his head ruefully as Rick rubbed his back.

“‘M sorry, I didn’t mean to get carried away,” Daryl muttered apologetically. Rick chuckled.

“No harm done. Matter of fact, I liked it.”

Daryl lifted his head and eyed him suspiciously. “You did.”

Rick raised his eyebrows teasingly. “You didn’t notice?”

“You, with the wife and kids.”

“How ‘bout you, with the uber-macho background?” Rick returned gently. Daryl’s expression lost some of its hostility. Rick smiled. “I’m not the only one here feeling something…unexpected.”

Even in the moonlight, Daryl’s cheeks clearly turned pink. He shifted uneasily on top of Rick.

“Still, I haven’t ever… _done_ anything like this. I’m not sure I can…” He trailed off uncertainly, eyeing Rick anxiously. Rick shook his head.

“Neither have I. But there’s something, right? And we have time.” He started idly rubbing Daryl’s shoulders, contentedly noting how the other man’s muscles immediately relaxed beneath his fingers. “We’ll just take it a step at a time.”

Daryl gave him a searching gaze, his eyes shining with uncertainty and hope. “…Yeah?”

Rick smiled. “Yeah.”

He pulled the archer in for another chaste kiss, then pushed until Daryl settled with his head on Rick’s chest. Rick sighed, running his hands through Daryl’s soft hair. He closed his eyes.

“Now go to sleep,” he commanded quietly. Daryl huffed, but he didn’t move from his new position. After a few moments, the archer went lax, his body melting into Rick’s as he slipped into unconsciousness.

Hands still carding through Daryl’s hair, Rick smiled, and he followed Daryl into oblivion.

**Author's Note:**

> So this was actually the first thing I've written in several years, the first for this fandom, and the first NEW thing in well over 7 years. Yeah. There were some nerves attached to this. 0_0 Crossposted to my tumblr (akaitsume.tumblr.com).
> 
> The title was inspired by Vanessa Mae's Embrasse Moi, which I happened to be listening to while thinking about this fic. Here are the (translated) lyrics: 
> 
> Kiss me  
> Gratify all my senses  
> As the night approches  
> Then my life begins  
> Embrace me  
> Very close in your arms  
> Love overcomes me  
> Like a wild wave
> 
> There's nothing like this  
> Under the covers  
> There's nothing like this  
> You take me over
> 
> CHORUS  
> You fly me up, so close to heaven  
> You fly me up, you're the only one  
> You fly me up, you're the only one  
> Embrace me  
> Muffle all sounds  
> With a whisper  
> Yes, you drive me crazy  
> Kiss me  
> I see the stars  
> Take me away  
> To paradise
> 
> There's nothing like this  
> Under the covers  
> There's nothing like this  
> You take me over
> 
> REPEAT CHORUS  
> You make me shiver  
> You make me leave  
> So close to heaven  
> You are the only one  
> Yes  
> You are the only one I love
> 
> There's nothing like this  
> Under the covers
> 
> REPEAT CHORUS
> 
> You fly me up, so close to heaven  
> You fly me up, you're the only one


End file.
